Not Keeping Up Appearances
by Vickatronic
Summary: Zoe and Max's relationship going from private to public a little differently to how it happened on screen. Will feature a fair bit of Zoe's friendship with Dylan and hopefully some of their dialogue will make you laugh. Please let me know what you think. Criticism is welcome. Sorry if the final chapter is a bit of a rubbish ending. Let me know what you think. I may change it.
1. Chapter 1

"Shush, Dylan will hear" Zoe whispered as yet again she tried to sneak Max out of Dylan's houseboat. Dylan was one of her closest friends but she didn't need him prying in to her sex life.

"Alright, alright I'm going" Max said in hushed tones before gently kissing Zoe on the lips. "See you later" he whispered.

Max carefully crept from Zoe's room through the kitchen and headed for the door.

"Morning Max" Dylan called as he came in from his and Dervla's morning walk.

Jumping and at total loss at to what to say "Errr, morning" he responded looking at his feet and hurrying out.

Zoe had heard all of this from her bedroom door and emerged in to the kitchen. "Surprised you remembered his name" she commented nonchalantly, filling the kettle and switching it on.

"It's hard to forget it when I hear you screaming it several times a night."

Colour began to creep up her face in embarrassment. She knew the walls were thin but genuinely thought they'd been quiet.

"Oh god, Dylan, I had no idea you could hear us."

"You're so easy to wind up."

She slapped his arm playfully. "I don't believe you, I was mortified."

"You still should be, I know you scream his name now."

"Shut up!" She ended the conversation like a teenager storming to her room but they both knew it was half in jest and half because they had to leave for the hospital in quarter of an hour and she wasn't dressed.

As the three of them, Dylan, Zoe and Dervla, walked in to the hospital, Zoe briefed Dylan on how to play it with Max.

"Just be normal around him, and pretend that this morning never happened."

"I'm not a total imbecile."

"How long have you known?"

"Oh so last night wasn't a one off?"

Zoe's face fell, thinking that she'd given too much away before he gently elbowed her letting her know that he'd got her again.

"You really infuriate me, you know!"

"I know but you just make it too easy."

"Right so how did you know? And how long have you known?"

"Zoe, we live on a small house boat. I hear you sneak him in at night and out again in the morning and anything else I hear I blank from my memory in case it scars me for life."

"Awww is poor Dylan afraid of sex?" she teased.

He huffed as he always did when he didn't have a witty comeback and they continued their walk to work in their usual good humour.

Arriving in the hospital car park Zoe saw Max standing by the doorway smoking and as always she wanted to go to him and enjoyed his company but also wanting to keep their relationship as private as possible. Dylan could see the debate she was having internally and shook his head at her.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just don't understand you two. You're acting like you're having a secret affair. He doesn't have a wife I don't know about does he?"

"Well if he does, I don't know about her either." She smiled to herself. Dylan was right but weirdly in this situation it was almost like she had the wife - Connie Beachamp. It was Connie that Zoe didn't want to know about this relationship Connie that would look down her nose and wonder why Zoe lowered herself to sleeping with a porter. Zoe wasn't in pursuit of status, she was a phenomenal doctor, everyone said so, she didn't need to prove herself, yet here she was shunning the one man who truly adores her in order to impress a woman who is so shallow she puts prestige in her career above her own daughter.

Walking in to the ED on that Tuesday morning, Zoe had decided things were going to change.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews on my first chapter. I feel like this one is much more sort of filler and building up to other things. Please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think/what you'd like to happen. Criticism is definitely accepted!**

Zoe walked along the hospital corridor, her head bowed and deep in thought after a particularly difficult case had been transferred to ITU. It wasn't likely that they'd make it but she knew that she'd done all she could. It still left her feeling exhausted and demoralised. All she wanted was to see Max and have him comfort her. She was silently judging herself for her reliance on him when a hand reached out and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her down another corridor. The grip was familiar and she smiled.

Max double checked no one was looking before kissing her gently on the lips.

"Please tell me you've got a packet of cigarettes in your pocket" was her response.

"I was just pleased to see you!" was his cheeky response. "Come on."

He guided her out towards the exit and their usual smoking spot.

As they smoked not a word was spoken, Zoe, leaning against him, was happy to just enjoy the moment and not think too much about it.

"Are you coming over tonight?" she asked as they were heading back to work.

"Yeah, could do. 8.30ish?"

"Sounds perfect, Dylan is cooking tonight, I'll get him to make extra."

"This sounds a bit like meeting the family" Max grimaced as he headed to collect his next patient.

"Zoe, I need a word about the patient in cubicle 4." Zoe hadn't noticed Connie approaching her.

"Mr Samuels? He's a frequent flyer and there's probably nothing wrong with him but I have run all the routine bloods just in case and will encourage him to see his GP in future."

"Right, it's just while you were out for some fresh air, [she clears her throat] he started complaining of chest pains. His BP and obs seemed fine but I've ordered an ECG."

"Thanks Connie."

"Do you always take your breaks with the porters?" Connie enquired as they walked towards cubicles.

"No, just Max." Smiling to herself Zoe headed to check on the infamous Mr Samuels. Connie also had a smile on her face and not the smirk that may have been expected of her. She'd noticed a positive change in one of her top consultants recently and she had wondered if maybe she had a new man in her life. Connie wasn't one to get involved in hospital gossip or take an active interest in her colleagues personal lives but if this relationship was contributing to the smooth running of her department she was definitely not going to stand in its way.

"I'm home!" Zoe called to Dylan as she arrived back at the house boat. It was already 8pm. Her and Dylan's shift had ended at 7pm but she'd been waiting to get a patient transferred to psych.

"Your wine is in the fridge, I thought white would go better with tonight's dinner."

"You're quite the domestic God aren't you?" she teased.

On opening the fridge she noticed a 6-pack of lager on the shelf and concern crept across her face.

"Dylan, is everything alright?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" he didn't even look up from examining the food simmering away in the saucepan.

"just the beer, I wasn't sure if maybe you were struggling."

"I just thought if Maxwell was joining us he may prefer beer..."

Zoe smiled to herself, the two most important men in her life getting along.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! Thank you for the reviews. Sorry I've been MIA. I've been moving house and didn't have internet but back now and trying to get all my fics updated! I'm wanting to write a wedding day oneshot as well in a slightly AU but watch this space for that. I've written a couple of Zoe and Nick ones as well so please check them out! Let me know what you think/what you would like to happen. :)**

Not Keeping Up Appearances Part 3

Dylan served up a delicious, if a tad unusual dinner as per and the three of them finally sat down to eat after a long day. Surprisingly the conversation was flowing very easily between them after a bit of an awkward start.

"Do you want a hand with the washing up Dylan?" Max asked as Dylan got up to clear the plates away.

"No, no don't worry. You two enjoy your drinks." He nodded towards Zoe sipping from her wine glass. "I'll get out of your hair once I've done these."

"You don't have to go out on our account," Zoe called to Dylan from the couch.

"I know but Dervla needs her walk and I would prefer not to sit here and watch you two crawling all over each other like a box of hamsters."

"He knows us too well Zoe" Max retorted as Zoe stuck her tongue out at him.

They cuddled up on the sofa with their drinks and were actually glad to get some privacy when Dylan went out for his walk. With Max sharing a house with Robyn and Lofty and Dylan sharing the boat with Dylan it was hard for them to ever get any time alone together.

"I think we should tell people." She noticed his eyebrows rise in response to the comment. "What?"

"I was just surprised to hear you suggest that."

"Well I guess they're going to find out sooner or later and I'd rather tell them than be outed by your sister."

"This is very true, so what are you thinking? Big announcement in the ED?"

She screwed up her face at his suggestion, and it got her thinking, how would their colleagues react. A lot of them had known her for a while now, they knew that she wasn't exactly lucky in love and obviously they would be a bit surprised by the age gap, not to mention the fact she was a doctor and he was a porter.

"Maybe we could go out for a meal, you, me, Lofty, Robyn, and Tess?" she suggested.

"I have a better idea, let's just be ourselves, tell our close friends and let the others figure it out. It doesn't have to be a big deal, we're seeing each other, we care about each other and that's all that matters."

She smiled at him. He really was wise. He met her smile with his lips and softly kissed her.

"Mmm, hang on" she said against his lips and she sat up to put the wine glass down on the side table. "Now where were we."

Max gently pushed her back against the sofa and straddled her as they kissed passionately running their hands through each others' hair.

"See, I told you Dervla, like a box of hamsters!" Neither of them had noticed Dylan's arrival back on the boat.

Max carefully got off Zoe and turned around to sit, both of them a little out of breath. He cleared his throat. At that Dylan chuckled to himself.

"I don't mind you know. It's nice to have some company on the boat. Budge up."

They all sat up chatting well in to the night. Only when it was time to go to bed did the butterflies start kicking in for Zoe. How were people going to react to her and Max?

She was happy for the first time in a long time. Surely they couldn't begrudge her that.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning they all left the boat together for the first time. The conversation between them flowed and as they reached the car park Max and Zoe didn't even remember they were holding hands. There was no need to psych themselves up for a big announcement they were just being natural with each other. They stopped outside for a cigarette as Dylan headed in and left them to it.

"Ready gorgeous?" Max stubbed out his cigarette and took his girlfriend's hand. Walking through the ED hand in hand raised a couple of eyebrows but no one said anything. Zoe was still convinced it'd be the hot topic of the day's gossip but as she began her shift and walked around the department there was no side glances or people whispering.

"Morning Tess! What have you got for me?" Zoe asked.

"I'm loathed to use the "q" word but we actually don't have anyone needing a doctor in here. How are you this morning?"

"Good thanks yeah, how about you?"

"I can't wait for my shift to be over, just 2 hours to go. Congratulations by the way." Tess gave a knowing look.

"On?"

"You and Max. I've suspected for a while and then I saw you this morning." Tess slipped her arm around her friend's waist and pulled her close to her. "I'm happy for you. I hope he knows what he's getting into." Zoe playfully slapped Tess' arm.

"Behave! I'm not that bad!" Zoe cried in mock offence.

Walking back to her office with a smile on her face Max sneaked up behind Zoe and placed both his hands on her bum.

"Max, stop it!" She whispered in faux annoyance. "I don't mind people knowing we're together but we still need to be professional."

"Shhhh, meet me upstairs in 10 minutes."

"No, I can't, I'll see you on my break."

He knew that she'd come and sure enough 10 minutes later the door to the cupboard he called an office opened. "Max I really don't have ti…" She never finished her sentence as his lips collided with hers and he pushed her up against the wall.

"Max, I have to go!"

"If you want me to stop, I'll stop." He smiled knowing exactly what she wanted and running his hand up her inner thigh she moaned in pleasure. He kissed her again then pulled away and stood up. "Sorry babe, gotta get on and I know you're busy."

"You'll pay for that later" she whispered in his ear with a wicked grin across her face.

No longer having to sneak out of the room, Zoe didn't even check who was around when she stepped out in to the corridor.

"Ah Dr Hanna, I've been looking for you." Connie's voice made her blood run cold and she automatically looked guilty.

"I was on my break."

"Up visiting Max?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"I think it's lovely, you two are clearly very happy."

"The gossip has reached you already then?"

"Gossip?! No, no I just put two and two together. I thought everyone knew." A flush broke out over Zoe's face.

"What did you need to see me about?" Zoe quickly changed the subject as the two women headed down to see a patient.

The shift past without incident and Zoe met Max at the front door to head home. He kissed her on the cheek as the rest of the team said their goodbyes. No one batted an eyelid.

"So going public wasn't so bad then was it?" Max asked her.

"No, it turns out they all knew already."

"Yeah, about that…." Max said very quietly and Zoe hadn't heard him as she was concentrating on lighting her cigarette.

"Are you ready?" She asked, slipping her lighter in her pocket and taking his hand in hers.

"As ready as I'll ever be with the punishment you have planned for me." They kissed without a care in the world before setting off home.


End file.
